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Guam - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has announced that the U.S. and Japan have reached agreement on a new plan for closing and consolidating U.S. military bases in Okinawa and elsewhere in Japan.

Guam - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has announced that the U.S. and Japan have reached agreement on a new plan for closing and consolidating U.S. military bases in Okinawa and elsewhere in Japan.

However the return to Japan of the various U.S. controlled areas is still between 6 and 15 years away. [see list of dates of return below]

Futenma, for example, would not be returned until 2022 and Naha Port, not until 2028.

In a statement released by the Department of Defense Friday morning in Washington, Hagel called the "U.S.-Japan Okinawa Consolidation Plan" an "important milestone in our efforts to ensure a robust and operationally effective U.S. force presence in the region."

1. West Futenma Housing area of Camp Zukeran (Camp Foster).* Timing for return: Can be returned upon completion of necessary procedures for return in JFY2014 or later.

2. The north access road of Makiminato Service Area (Camp Kinser).* Timing for return: Can be returned upon completion of necessary procedures in JFY2013 or later.

3. Area near Gate 5 on Makiminato Service Area (Camp Kinser).* Timing for return: Can be returned upon completion of necessary procedures for return in JFY2014 or later.

4. A portion of the warehouse area of the Facilities and Engineering Compound in Camp Zukeran (Camp Foster).* Timing for return: Can be returned upon completion of conditions and necessary procedures for return in JFY2019 or later.

5. Camp Kuwae (Camp Lester).* Timing for return: Can be returned upon completion of conditions and necessary procedures for return in JFY2025 or later.

6. Camp Zukeran (Camp Foster) - Lower Plaza Housing area.* Timing for return: Can be returned upon completion of conditions and necessary procedures for return in JFY2024 or later.

7. Camp Zukeran (Camp Foster) - A part of Kishaba Housing area.*Timing for return: Can be returned upon completion of conditions and necessary procedures for return in JFY2024 or later.

8. Elements of Makiminato Service Area (Camp Kinser), including the preponderance of the storage area. * Timing for return: Can be returned upon completion of conditions and necessary procedures for return in JFY2025 or later

9. Naha Port . Timing for return: Can be returned upon completion of conditions and necessary procedures for return in JFY2028 or later.

10. Army Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricant Depot Kuwae Tank Farm No. 1.* Timing for return - Can be returned upon completion of conditions and necessary procedures for return in JFY2022 or later.

11. Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma.* Timing for return - Can be returned upon completion of conditions and necessary procedures for return in JFY2022 or later.

12. The remainder of Makiminato Service Area (Camp Kinser).* Timing for return - Can be returned upon completion of conditions and necessary procedures for return and after USMC forces are relocated to locations outside of Japan in JFY2024 or later.

Today the United States and Japan have achieved a new and important milestone in our efforts to ensure a robust and operationally effective U.S. force presence in the region while reducing our footprint on the island of Okinawa.

I wish to thank Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for his personal leadership and attention to the U.S.-Japan Okinawa Consolidation Plan. This plan is the result of many months of close coordination between senior leaders from our two countries.

Together, our plan calls for the immediate return -- upon the completion of certain necessary procedures -- of certain facilities and areas on Okinawa. The United States will then return additional locations once replacement facilities are constructed and when a sizeable contingent of U.S. Marine Corps forces relocate outside of Japan, namely to Guam and Hawaii.

Under the plan, the United States will consolidate our forces over time and reduce our impact on the most populated parts of Okinawa. Once these plans are implemented, approximately 1,000 hectares will be returned to the people of Okinawa and Japan.

The U.S. Defense Department and Japan's Ministry of Defense will now work to implement the plan in concert with resolving the Futenma Replacement Facility, which will avoid the indefinite use of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma while maintaining Alliance capabilities.

Now more than ever it is essential that the United States maintain a geographically distributed and sustainable force throughout Asia that can provide for the protection of Japan and our other allies, and U.S. interests. We are resolved to focus our bilateral efforts on modernizing the alliance to meet emerging security challenges in the region.

This new plan demonstrates what can be achieved through hard work associated with the United States' ongoing rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region. I look forward to continuing to partner with Prime Minister Abe and his administration to advance the bilateral security relationship of the United States and Japan.

The new plan calls for 2,500 acres of land including six major facilities and several smaller areas to be returned to Japan, from entire housing districts to sections of land as small as an access road. The controversial runway will be added to the coastal base.